The present invention relates to electrically coupling terminal arrangements in general, and more particularly to a terminal unit or block capable of being arranged in a row with other terminal units or blocks of the same or similar type.
There are already known various constructions of terminal blocks which are capable of being arranged in a row or series with similar units and, therefore, will be referred to herein as serial terminal blocks, among them such which have a housing of an insulating material which includes at least one lateral closing wall. Serial terminal blocks of this type are known in a variety of constructions as far as the connecting techniques employed therein, the number of tiers of connecting locations, and the configuration and construction of the housing are concerned. What is common to such known serial terminal blocks is that, in addition to diverse connecting elements and current bars electrically connecting such connecting elements, there are provided in the interior of the insulating material housing respective free spaces which have heretofore been either unused, or used only for the accommodation of specially fitted small conductor plates with electrical/electronic elements arranged on such conductor plates. This makes the construction of the respective terminal block quite expensive. What makes the known constructions of the serial terminal unit even more expensive are the heretofore also customarily used free wire connections interconnecting the individual structural elements in the interior of the terminal block spaces.